Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-02
MYSTERY OF A GRAVE.
THE SOUTH BROAD STREET
CEMETERY ROBBERY.

directed Body - Detectives at work
on the Cssr-Robbery of the Coffin
Plate and Buried Treasures Supposed
to Be the Motives OF the ''Resurrec-
tionists."
Ever since last Friday there has been
no end Of gossip about the mysterious
cadaver that was found early that morn
Ing in the old cemetery on South Broad
street. At first 1t was generally believed
that some one had dug the body up 10 re-
move it to some other cemetery. Work
men had been seen few
days before tearing down an old vault,
and it was thought that perhaps they
had taken up the casket.
DR.. Mcfarland. the city Health Officer,
said that he had not given permit for the
resurrection ofthe body, and Mayor Les
ter said that be had not, so the theory of
the police that the body had been raised
in day time BY the authority Of friends
did not hold. AS the days passed and no
satisfactory explanation OF the resurrec-
ton wss obtained. the impression that
ghouls had been at work gradually spread
and was accepted.
DETECTIVES AT work.
For the sake OF clearing away the
mystery if possible, a detective spent
four days in making quiet investiga-
ton. He said last night that the case is
the most mysterious he has ever had any
thing TO do with. He added: sit will be
remem bered that the first intimation
which the people IN the neighborhOOd had
OF the grave robbery was the sickening
stencil which came from the casket. A
casual investigation was made, but 1t did
not scoyer any clue TO the party or par
ties who raised the dead. That there
were two persons concerned in the job
seems highly probable"
The grave was within twenty PAGES OF
the South Broad street gate, and as it has
since turned out that the deed was done
at night, there must have been one to
watch at the entrance while the other dug.
linen, too, from the size of the hole ii was
evident that one person alone never raised
the casket out, The casket was of the
style in common use quarter Of GEN.
fury or more ago, and known as the
Egyptian metallic burial casket. 1t was
about five feet nine inches long, or OF the
ordinary size in use for men of average
height.
WHEN FIRST DISCOVERED.
The casket when found lay on heap
of fresh earth, which had been thrown
from hole perhaps tour feet long and
four feet wide, and OF the usual depth of
a grave. The Egyptian caskets were
made with glass plae, directly over
where the corpse's face would be. In this
casket the plate was broken into thou
sand atoms. and fragments of glass were
mixed with the earth, and some had
fallen into the casket, and. together with
a quantity OF sand, pretty we'll covered
the face.
THE BODY RECOGNIZABLE.
The outline Of the features was well
preserved and the body Itself was in an
excellent state of preservation. At first
sight II looked TO be peirihed, but It
proved not to be. Bodies are frequently
found in an apparent state OF excellent
preservation which crumDle to pieces in
a very short time'wheu exposed to the
air. This body did not. To tle touch
the flesh was still firm. although 1t was
shrnnken. A part of the face was COW
cred with areddish beard, which was also
we'll preserved, ard which did not fall to
dust when handled
These Baskets were ola peculiar share,
and the lids we're securely riyeted on. 1t
was not easy, therefore, to open the one
so strangely uuearthed, and Coroner
Dixon, who was notified OF the find by the
Health Officer, did not think it necessary
TO force 1t open.
ROLL OF CLOTH.
Lying on the body's chest was large
roll OF cloth, for what purpose put in is
unknown, unless as a pad. . An eXami-
nation OF the cas6et failed to discover
anything that would help 10 identify its
lifeless occupant. On thelid was pla ce
which looked as though it might have
been covered by plate, and upon search
ing through the piles OF earth which had
been thrown up around, an iron plate was
found. TO the disappointment of every
one 1t did not contain an inscription.
-Four small metal pins projected from 1t,
and il is presumed that they had once held
an inscription plate. The search was con-
tnued todiscOver, If possible, the smaller
plate, but 1t could not be found.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE GRAVE.
Then the hole was examined. Foot
prints were detected, hut they were so
mixed up that no clue was obtained from
them. The ghous, if it was their work,
had not dug hole as long as the casket,
but when they reached it had pried it up
and pulled it out head first, leaving a
cavity extending under one end Of the
hole. The glass plate was most likely
broken before the casket was got out of
the grave, because glass was found
in the hole aud on the sides.
The case presented mystery which was
uuIdluumdDlb anu the cdSkeL was re-
Inferred, To he great relief OF those living
in the neighhorhood.
THE POLICE PUZZLED.
Who the ghouls were or what their mo-
tive was in Decorating the unknown
grave, are, to the police and everyone
puzzles for which satisfactory explana-
ton has not yet been advanced. In the
first place, it is mystery how they knew
that crave was located where they dug.
Persons who are considered to be- thor
Oughly familiar with the old cemetery say
that they had no idea there was a grave
there. 1t was out of the burying line.
and on the surface Of the ground there
was not the slightest sign of a grave.
The spot is on the west side OF the
walk leading from the South Broad street
gate, and at the southeast corner of the
old DeRenne vault. The cemetery has
rot been used for burial purposes since
1852, and IL would not be likely that there
is any one now living who could pick out
a grave Of which there was no external
sign.
FINDING THE GRAVE.
Resurrectionsts sometimes use what
is called a sounding rod for the purpose
OF locating graves. Those instruments
are thrust down in the earth until they
strike coffin or casket. As this grave
was not in the regular line it is possible
that its location may have been remem-
bered. That 1t was selected specially
seems rather probable. Had the ghouls,
n IA tbav